Geodetic distance in the United States
Across the continental United States, interstate distances span thousands of miles. The great circle distance calculates the true shortest flight path across Earth’s curvature.
Distances are displayed in statute miles (5,280 feet per mile), feet, and nautical miles (for marine and aviation navigation).
Great circle paths appear curved on flat Mercator maps but represent the true shortest path over the globe.
Worked example: New York City to Los Angeles
New York City (40.7128° N, 74.0060° W) to Los Angeles (34.0522° N, 118.2437° W):
Great circle distance is 2,451 statute miles (3,944 km, 2,130 nautical miles). Initial heading is 277.9°.
Inputs for the US distance calculator
Latitude and Longitude
Enter latitude (positive for North) and longitude (negative for West in the Western hemisphere).
CALCULATOR QUESTIONS
US city & coordinate distance calculator questions
How many feet are in a statute mile?
There are exactly 5,280 feet in one US statute mile.
What is a nautical mile?
One international nautical mile equals exactly 1,852 metres, or approximately 1.1508 statute miles (6,076.1 feet).